Political Rewind: It's official! Warnock and Walker will face off in December runoff

Caption

This combination of photos shows, Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Aug. 3, 2021, left, and Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker speaking in Perry, Ga., Sept. 25, 2021.

Credit: AP Photo

The panelists:

Alan Abramowitz, @AlanIAbramowitz, professor emeritus of political science, Emory University

Emma Hurt, @Emma_Hurt,  reporter, Axios Atlanta

Rene Alegria, publisher, Mundo Now

Shannon McCaffrey, political reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The breakdown:

1.  Candidates in the U.S. Senate race in Georgia will compete in a December runoff. 

• As of Tuesday afternoon, Warnock leads Walker by razor-thin margins. 
  • Neither candidate will garner the 50% of the vote needed to clinch the seat outright under state rules. 
  • Adrienne Jones said more about this 50% rule in our 9 a.m. episode of Political Rewind. 
• Shannon McCaffery says Walker has a lot of catching up to do as he trailed behind Gov. Brian Kemp on the Republican ticket.

2.  Will the control of the U.S. Senate rest in Georgia's hands? 

• Last year Sens. Warnock and Jon Ossoff took control of the Senate in a runoff. 
• Right now, Senate races in the key states of Georgia, Arizona, Nevada and are still not called.
  • Democrat John Fetterman won in Pennsylvania, which was seen as a crucial state for Democrats to be able to retain control. 

Thursday on Political Rewind: The AJC's Kevin Riley joins the panel.